Semiconductor space continues to ramp up

Telecom jobs nationwide continued to inch down, while jobs in the semiconductor space continued to ramp up in April, a consistency seen throughout 2011.
Nationwide, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 244,000 positions in April, but the unemployment rate inched up to 9%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Job gains took place in service-providing industries, manufacturing, and mining. The number of people unemployed in April stood at 13.7 million, which changed little from the previous month.
In the computer and electronics products sector, jobs were up 4,000 month to month and up 29,600 from the year-ago period to stand at 1.124.4 million jobs. All subsector categories picked up as well – computer and peripheral equipment increased by 900 positions; communication equipment rose 2,400 positions and semiconductors and electronics components increased by 500 positions.
In the telecom sector, the labor bureau counted 1,000 fewer jobs I April and 34,600 fewer positions than in April 2010. Telecom accounted for 871,900 positions last month.
Drilling into the telecom subsectors, which lag a month, wired telecom jobs totaled 577,700 in March, down 29,700 from March 2010. Wireless positions totaled 169,500 in March, down 1,900 from the previous year. Broadcast and wireless communications equipment manufacturing jobs have been relatively stable in the past year, at 66,800 in March.